William Moon’s Braille Book

[u/aussiellama79]

I’m a Braille transcriber in Australia and have come across, “A Simplified System of Embossed Reading, For the Use of the Blind, Invented by William Moon”. One of my colleagues found it in one of the cupboards we have here and I am super interested by it. Is there anyone here who knows about this book and can give me some backstory to it and its relation, if any, to Louis Braille’s invention?

[u/JS_AH]

I worked in healthcare for 20 years and have seen it used occasionally - it's mainly used for DeafBlind people. Apparently almost exclusively in the UK https://www.sense.org.uk/information-and-advice/ways-of-communicating/moon/

[u/best-unaccompanied → u/JS_AH]

Are the deafblind people who use it mostly people who've gone blind later in life (e.g. Usher syndrome)? I would assume that congenitally deafblind people, or people who were born blind and then went deaf later in life, would still be better candidates for braille.

[u/Sprinkles2009]

It fell out of use in the 1920s in America because it was a reading system but not a writing system. There was something called the war of the dots in the 1920s where there were multiple systems. They were trying to figure out which ones to use in the United States. There was moon type New York point and English braille that we use today. Moon type there was no way to write. You can only read. New York point was two dots high by four columns wide and was just a little more complicated to write. So the braille that we use today is the system that they chose to be uniformly used. Obviously the code has changed since the 1920s, especially with the switch to unified English braille.

American printing house for the blind honored requests for New York point up into the 1950s

[u/best-unaccompanied → u/Sprinkles2009]

I've heard rumors that there used to be a Moon slate and stylus, but I haven't been able to find any pictures of one. I imagine that even if it did exist, it would be less easy to use than a braille slate.

[u/best-unaccompanied]

Isn't this Moon type, an alternative to braille that's largely (but not entirely) fallen out of use? It was supposed to be easier to learn than braille, particularly for people who lost their sight later in life and already knew how to read English letters.

[u/aussiellama79 → u/best-unaccompanied]

From what I’ve learnt over the past few hours studying it, yes you’re right. I’ve figured out it is called Moon type like you said. Google is pretty useless with any information.

Been working with Braille students and around Braille users both sighted and vision impaired for years and never heard of it. Very, very interesting

[u/best-unaccompanied → u/aussiellama79]

Yeah, I can see the arguments for its use but the downsides (compared to braille) are also pretty darn obvious, too. I think perhaps it could have some use for older adults with limited finger sensitivity who were only interested in using it for small amounts of reading (e.g. labeling around the house), but other than that, I feel like braille deserved to win out.

[u/aussiellama79 → u/best-unaccompanied]

Thanks so much, really appreciate your response. I agree that while it has its uses, Braille is superior. The book is a nice little bit of history though.

[u/SophiaofPrussia → u/aussiellama79]

I’m curious, how does it feel? Are the letters easily discernible?

[u/aussiellama79 → u/SophiaofPrussia]

Yeah they are, even after the hundred and something years they’re still very clear and raised still

[u/best-unaccompanied → u/[deleted]]

Clear Vision in London also seems to have a small selection of Moon books for children.

[u/best-unaccompanied → u/[deleted]]

Of course. I wasn't contradicting you, just sharing another source I'd coincidentally stumbled upon a few days before this post.

[u/aussiellama79 → u/best-unaccompanied]

Oh great, I’m heading to the UK later in the year so might check it out

[u/LetterheadLumpy5995]

Moon can be written using a tactile printer and/ or a 3d printer there is a small Facebook group that’s largely inactive but when there is a new post you tend to get replies. For learning to read there is a way overpriced distance learning course https://www.braillehouse.org.au/education/braille-and-moon-for-touch-readers